>> 2>Point - Counter Point. Core or Bore?! ~eeee

by Aaron Cumming
and Laura Martin

At UNBC there are five courses that all first year students are
These courses include Effective University
Writing and Communication, Humanities, Physical Sciences,
Social Sciences and Life Sciences. Students are not required to
take a Core course if they have satisfactory credits in its general-
areas. These Core courses are a subject of debate for students and

required to take.

staff about whether they should remain mandatory.

Point - Core courses provide
a first year student with an
introduction to the many
different fields of study that
the University has to offer.
They help the undecided
student choose a career path
that is interesting to him or
her by exposing him or her to

available choices. The
student is also expected to the
University's faculty.

P - I agree that choice is
important, but I feel that
some courses should be
mandatory for academic as
well as social reasons.
Because the majority of the
students are required to

complete the Core courses,
‘the opportunity to meet a
number of different people is
there. People will be able to
take classes with friends
because their friends all need
the same courses.

P - As you have proven, I am
sure. The core courses only
take up one _ semester
altogether and they do count
for credit towards a degree.
They are a good introduction
to University and, I believe, a
good starting point for a new
University student.

P - Still, I will argue the

necessity of some similarity.
They are beneficial to a first
year student. The three Core
courses that I am presently
taking have very little
homework, which allows me
to spend most of my time on
my other subjects.

P - Nevertheless, the Core
courses are giving me the
experience I need to succeed
in University. I have learned
note-taking skills and essay
writing skills. I can write an
annotated bibliography,

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speak to a class without
Stammering and I have
acquired a greater
appreciation for
Frankenstein's monster. The
courses are interesting and I
have met many new people
in the lecture halls. I feel that
these. courses are an
important part of my first
year experience at University
and they. should continued to
be offered.

Counterpoint - By the time

most first year students
register for university, they
already have a good idea of
what they will choose as a
major. The University
system is supposed to allow
for greater academic freedom
and diversity. Since we are
paying for every credit hour,
students can choose exactly
what courses they wish to
take.

C - The presence of friends is
hardly a justification for
mandatory enrollment in the
Core courses. If students
want to spend time with their
friends, they can do so
anywhere around the Prince
George campus. They can
also enroll together in a
course they are legitimately
interested in. Anyway, it is
very hard to succeed in a
class where you are always
talking with your friends.

C - At a cost of $213.75 per
semester ($374.06 for
international students) that is
a very expensive
introduction. For all five

;-) courses, that is $1068.75

($1870.30 for international
students) that could be spent
on courses that the student
actually wants to take. Any

)) course can count towards a

degree, and with the

government's recent decision
to increase tuition, it is
important that students are
able to maximize their
education budget.

C - You are abnormal and a
freak.

C - 1am sure there are many
students who have had
enough scholastic training to
be able to cope with the
demands of University.
Transfer students who may
have valuable experience but
do not meet the strict
requirements for Core
exemption are forced to take
material they have already
covered or find irrelevant to
their interests. I grant that
such students will likely do
very well in such Core
courses, yet they should at
least be able to take a Core
course only if they want to. ©

HELP
WANTED!

Over the Edge needs
you. As exams approach and
the term draws to an end it
becomes very difficult to put a
paper out. If you would like to
submit a news, sports or arts
article please contact the editor
of that section (see page 3 for
E-mail - #).

interested in

please contact us as well as we
are understaffed in this area.
The most vital section where

your help would be
appreciated is in the layout of
the paper. If you are
interested in laying out the
paper contact Tracy Gula
( E-mail also on page three ).
We appreciate your
continued support and hope to
see you out at the paper soon.

hhh LLL L tL OLL LLL. Ls tte Pe ee ee ee

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